With not a dry eye in the house and against the iconic backdrop of Miami Beach, Michael Duffy and Claptonn Mouche secured their first-ever Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix victory. The duo’s remarkable win was highlighted by their status as the sole double clear of the day.
While Duffy and Claptonn Mouche claimed the top spot, Max Kühner and EIC Cooley Jump finished two seconds faster but accumulated four faults over the Liverpool fence, which caught out more than a couple of contenders. On form Frenchman, Julien Anquetin and Blood Diamond du Pont, rounded off the podium as the second fastest four-faulter, contributing to an electrifying competition next to the Atlantic Ocean.
Renowned for its vibrant atmosphere and luxurious lifestyle, the final day of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Miami Beach attracted a prestigious audience, including VIPs and celebrities such as supermodel Gisele Bundchen, former Formula One driver Romain Grosjean and actor Cuba Gooding Jr, who all watched the action unfold from hospitality. Beachgoers and spectators were treated to a world-class sporting spectacle coupled with the glamour and allure of one of the tour’s most iconic destinations.
Duffy’s emotional victory was evident as he dedicated the win to his late friend, Jack Dodd, during a tearful winner interview. The poignant moment added depth to an extraordinary achievement, resonating with spectators and fellow competitors alike.
A speechless Michael Duffy said during his winner’s interview,
“It’s been a while coming now, it’s probably about time we got our fingers out and did something. It’s amazing, I’m a bit lost for words… I’m not the biggest talker but even more so this time. I have no words.
He went on to add,
“It’s tough jumping here, it is so delicate, with a white pole in the jump-off and it’s it was just delicate, so I wanted to be as quick as I can and leave the jumps up to get the job done.”
Speaking with Rosie Tapner for GCTV after his second-place podium finish, Max Kühner was reflective of his jump-off round where he accrued four faults.
“Cooley is a fast horse, I know that. He is a sensitive horse, through the turn he had a little slip and I then needed to give him a little bit of a push to get to the next fence. He’s so sensitive, he always remembers a push like that, and I could feel for the next fence I had to hold him back a little bit. I think that could be why the fault happened.”
A surprise guest in the GCTV studio with Marc Lewis, Eduardo Aznar, the new 2024 Longines Global Champions Tour Championship Leader, paid tribute to this long-term jumping partner in crime, Rockafella. He said:
“I have a very nice feeling, especially with the horse that I got. I’ve jumped both LGCT Grand Prix’s this year with him, first in Doha and now in Miami Beach. My old Horse Rockefeller, he’s 19, and it is probably his last season, so the Championship really means a lot for me.”
Longines Global Champions Tour Championship Standings after Miami Beach:
1. Eduardo Aznar – 62 points
2. Max Kühner – 61 points
3. Christian Kukuk – 56 points
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Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.